1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to portable refreshments and sundries dispenser devices, and specifically to portable refreshments and sundries dispenser devices that may be mounted onto vehicles such as golf carts or any other movable or fixed object.
2. Description of Related Art
Often it is desirable to have refreshments and sundries readily available on demand to consumers who may not have access to stores or to other vendors that carry such items. One example is during a round of golf, where players are scattered over a large area that by necessity do not have numerous facilities available for the purchase of refreshments or sundries. Although these items may be available for purchase at a clubhouse or through stationary vending machines, or even from vendors that may travel around the golf course for the purpose of selling these items to golfers, the availability of the items is often too limited for many players. In addition, players may have a need or impulse at times to purchase such items as tees, golf balls or golf gloves, regardless of where the players are located on the golf course. For example, having these items readily available in a dispenser that travels with the consumer benefits both the consumer (in this example the golfer) and the vendor (in this case the golf course operator). The golfer has immediate access to beverages and sundries and the golf course operator can increase sales by satisfying the golfer's immediate need to buy.
Certain containers and/or mounted beverage containers for use on vehicles are known in the art. The basic cooler is well known. Mounting brackets specifically designed for the portability of coolers on pull-type gold carts have been disclosed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,267 issued to Bolton, which is hereby incorporated by reference in a manner consistent with this disclosure, discloses a cooler caddy for a pull-type golf cart and discusses a holder structure for holding the cooler and an attachment for removably attaching the holder structure to the golf cart. U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,767 issued to Buschbom, which is hereby incorporated by reference in a manner consistent with this disclosure, discloses a golf cart cooler that is releasably mounted on the front end of a motorized golf cart. The cooler may be mounted either on the inside of the front end of the cart or the outside of the cowling. U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,154 issued to Blount, which is hereby incorporated by reference in a manner consistent with this disclosure, discloses a support device for removably attaching a cooler to a pull-type golf cart.
Other coolers for mounting to motorized-type golf carts are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. D432,363 issued to Bassford et. al., which is hereby incorporated by reference in a manner consistent with this disclosure, discloses a design for a cooler for golf carts. U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,883 issued to Henderson, which is hereby incorporated by reference in a manner consistent with this disclosure, discloses' an insulated beverage box with a dispenser for liquid beverages that is compatible with golf cart baskets. This box has a plurality of chambers for the storage of various beverages, and is insulated to hold cold beverages. U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,029 issued to Deaton, which is hereby incorporated by reference in a manner consistent with this disclosure, discloses a storage compartment for use with motorized golf carts.
Still other references disclose portable cooler holders. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,645 issued to Brown, which is hereby incorporated by reference in a manner consistent with this disclosure, discloses a mounting device for holding a cooler on an external vehicle surface or vessel. U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,011 issued to Kennedy, which is hereby incorporated by reference in a manner consistent with this disclosure, discloses a mountable beverage cooler and dispenser system. The housing comprises a circular roof and a cylindrical wall. The primary purpose of the invention is to mount beverage cooler and dispenser systems on a golf cart or bag. U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,154 issued to Christoff, which is hereby incorporated by reference in a manner consistent with this disclosure, discloses a beverage container with a mounting bracket for use with a golf cart or any other surface having a support member to which the container can be attached. Japanese Patent No. JP6018138 issued to Nobuaki, which is hereby incorporated by reference in a manner consistent with this disclosure, discloses a soft drink selling device that can be installed in a vehicle, such as a taxi, comprising a small-sized refrigerator.
Other references have disclosed portable vending devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,111 issued to Burton, which is hereby incorporated by reference in a manner consistent with this disclosure, discloses a portable self-contained mobile vending device that allows a mobile food vendor to offer a buffet style set up of foods, with a minimal amount of set-up. The mobile device can include a variable number of chafing dish compartments. U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,852 issued to McCarthy, which is hereby incorporated by reference in a manner consistent with this disclosure, discloses a mobile vending assembly with a portable structure that encloses and protects a vending machine. The invention is directed to a structure for enclosing, protecting, and transporting vending machines to a desired location.